The first time I had pozole was in my childhood best friend’s kitchen. Her mom would leave the large aluminum stock pot on the stove top for everyone to feel at home ladling a huge portion in their bowl.
Every winter I would look forward to the rich, delicious southwestern soup. Being from an Armenian home and accustomed to wonderful aromas regularly permeating our kitchen, the pozole was always a welcome flavor from another culture.
Several years later as an adult, on subsequent visits to Santa Fe, I would try pozpole at every restaurant, whether it be breakfast, lunch or dinner. In many restaurants it is served a a side, and not only at lunch or dinner, but at breakfast as well. Pozole recipes are so varied-green, red, pork, chicken, as a side (thick enough to sty in one place your plate) and of course as a big bowl of soup- my favorite!
I have made pozole, substituting the pork and red sauces with chicken and green enchilada sauce. The original recipe served during my childhood was likely filed somewhere in my best friend’s mom’s brain, as were most of my mom’s and grandma’s, but I have made pozole for years, tweaking along the way, sometimes using what I have on hand, trying to replicate the flavors reminiscent of my childhood. . Traditionally, a southwest Christmas season dish, I have been making it for Halloween for many years. I typically use pork shoulder, but sometimes I do add a few pigs’ feet- they do add a richness to the flavor, and not to throw anyone under the bus, some family members love them! Like any soup recipe- the ingredients can be adjusted to your liking. Since I pretty much “throw it together”- I documented what I did a few weeks ago for our Halloween meal.
Ingredients
4 large yellow onions
4 pigs feet
2 lbs pork shoulder
1/4 cup vegetable oil (for sautéing onions)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for sautéing meats)
8 cloves garlic chopped
1 tablespoon dry oregano
2 small cans diced green chilis
1 28 oz can red enchilada sauce
2 28 oz cans El Pato hot tomato sauce https://www.walkerfoods.net)
2 14.5 oz cans chicken broth
5 15 oz cans white hominy
29 oz water
Directions
Slice yellow onions
Sauteé the onions in oil until translucent- reserve
Rinse the pigs feet.
Brown on all sides.
Cut pork shoulder into chunks
Brown the pork shoulder. Add pigs feet.
Add chopped garlic and continue to brown until garlic is golden.
Add onions. diced green chilis, enchilada sauce, tomato sauce, oregano, chicken broth and combine.
bring to a boil and lower heat to simmer for several hours.
Drain hominy in a colander and rinse.
One hour prior to serving add canned hominy, and water to desired consistency.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with radishes, cilantro, sliced avocado, green onions and sour cream.
Serve with warm tortillas and butter.
